Don't Think Sick
by mesmerizedbyceruleaneyes
Summary: Sanada overhears a strange conversation between Yukimura and Akaya - and, of course, he freaks out. What cat's cradle and the summer rains have got to do with anything is beyond him. An early birthday fic for Sanada!


Don't Think Sick Don't Think Sick

Yukimura glanced out of the window next to his bed. "Saa, it's raining."

"The weather forecast said the summer rains would start this week," Sanada reminded him. Noticing that the pitcher of water next to his friend was empty, he said, "I'll fill that up for you."

"Thanks. You know where the cooler is," smiled the pretty blunette.

Sanada nodded, taking the pitcher and leaving the room – closing the door just in time to catch the tail end of Yukimura's observation of "Akaya's going to get drenched…"

--

Having refilled the pitcher – and gotten himself a drink in the process – the fukubuchou of Rikkai made his way back to Yukimura's hospital room. The rain, if anything, had increased since earlier, he noticed as he passed by a window in the corridor. If Akaya was indeed coming, he was going to suffer – the youngest member of the team rarely if ever remembered to carry and umbrella or raincoat with him.

Just as he put a hand on the doorknob, he heard voices and paused.

"Ne, buchou, I brought some stuff for us to play with today." That had to be Akaya. How had the brat gotten here to fast?

"Sure. I'm in the mood for some playtime," came the answer. Yukimura. They were probably the only ones in the room. He was about to open the door when Yukimura added, "You ought to take that off. It'd be easier that way."

Sanada froze. "I don't want to," protested the boy. "It's cold."

There was a soft sigh. "Akaya, I can help you take it off if you like."

"No need for that!" Clothes rustled. Was it just Sanada's imagination, or was there heavy breathing from a certain occupant of the room?

"Much better," said Yukimura approvingly. "Now come here."

"I shouldn't; the bed will get dirty. It's all nice and white right now."

"It doesn't matter. I can't play with you if you're so far away." More rustling, this time probably from the sheets. "Have fun, now."

"Of course."

A short silence ensued, and Sanada strained his ears. Yes, definitely heavy breathing. Maybe… no, he was _not_ going to think that way. Yukimura and Akaya wouldn't do _that_.

… Right?

Suddenly, there was a sharp intake of breath. "Ouch! That hurt, buchou!"

"I'm sorry. "Something shifted. "Is this better?"

"Yeah. I keep forgetting it hurts."

Sanada's breath caught in his throat. They were doing something. They _had_ to be doing something. Yukimura wouldn't willingly hurt Akaya unless…

"Don't put your hand there! That's the wrong –"

"Stop complaining, Akaya. Would this be better?"

"No! Take it out!"

"I can't – it's stuck."

Once again, a short pause. Sanada refused to let his mind wander. It was just presenting him with terrible metal images of Yukimura and Akaya doing… things.

"It can't be stuck – just pull it out… there, it's out."

"Thanks. I haven't done this for ages; I've pretty much forgotten how to do it properly."

"Darn, look at the mess…"

By now, the usually stoic fukubuchou was plastered against the door, straining to hear what was going on in the room. A couple of nurses walked past and sent his weird looks; he ignored them.

"Pull tighter, buchou."

"_You_'re too tight."

Another pause. "Get your finger in there."

"Here?"

"Not there – Ouch!"

That was it. That was the last straw the broke the camel's back. Mustering his courage, he threw open the door (without realizing that nobody would do whatever he was thinking without locking the door). "Yukimura!'

The invalid blinked at him. "Yes, Sanada? What happened?"

"Did somebody die?" inquired Akaya, curious about the sudden absence of his fukubuchou's stoic façade.

Sanada stared. The brat was sitting next to Yukimura on the bed, with his Rikkai jersey draped over the chair that normal visitors used. Currently, he was nursing his index finger while Yukimura sorted out a tangled mess of colorful strings. And Akaya was the one who was still breathing heavily –

"Akaya ran here in the rain," Yukimura informed him. "Quite reckless of him, really. I made him take off the jersey – it's soaked; if he stayed in it in this air-conditioned room…"

"I… see…" Sanada was still trying to make sense of the situation.

"Yukimura and Akaya were playing cat's cradle," explained Yanagi, who had apparently appeared out of nowhere. "I assume you thought they were havi–"

"_Renji_," interrupted Yukimura sternly. He turned his blue gaze to his fukubuchou. "Now, now, Sanada, I didn't know you were so dirty-minded…"

Yanagi's lips curved upwards in the barest hint of a smile, and it seemed that Akaya had caught on. He grinned mischievously at the older boy. "Don't think sick."

--

It was several months before Sanada's eyebrows stopped twitching uncontrollably at the sight of tangled cat's cradle strings.

--

**A/N: Uhm. Random Sanada-bashing for Sanada's birthday. It's a bit early, I know, but I'm away when his birthday **_**really**_** comes along… so yeah, it's early. I assumed that everyone knows cat's cradle… :-X**

**Anyways, as to why cat's cradle can elicit cries of pain from poor Akaya – you know, sometimes you get your finger caught in a loop? Well, that hurts, and I exaggerated for more effect. If not, the dialogue just wouldn't be anything worth paying attention to. Not that it's really awesome even now… T.T**

**Please REVIEW!! And happy early birthday to Sanada Genichirou!! WOOOOHTS!!**


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